Nature’s Joy – Orange-tip Butterfly Visit.

A visit by an Orange-tip butterfly to the garden, what happens next is surely one of nature’s joys.

One of the joys of spring is seeing the Orange-tip butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines). The males with their flash of orange from which it gets its name, are often seen fluttering along woodland rides, passing by with purpose in mind.

The females in comparison bear no Orange-tip, but grey tips to her wings. Yet when she settles reveals a mottled green underwing that looks like decorative stained-glass windows in a church, a pattern unique to that butterfly. The males also have this mottling but its the orange flashes that first draw attention. These butterflies bring a smile to my face and are always welcome in my garden. 

The story begins one sunny afternoon in the garden a couple of weeks ago, when I was sitting reading a substack article and a female Orange-tip came to visit. It landed on a plant called Jack by the Hedge, also known by the name Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolate). This year it’s growing in profusion down the right-hand side of the garden as I look-out from the kitchen window. It’s a biennial which means last year we saw very few but this year it has flourished filling the entire border. Orange-tips need Garlic Mustard or Cuckoo flower (Cardamine pratensis) also known as Lady’s Smock to complete their lifecycle. We don’t have any Cuckoo flower in the garden; it is a plant preferring wet meadows, which unfortunately this garden isn’t.

I watched a video recently by The Rambling Entomologist, Trevor Pendleton who indicated that the female lays her eggs not in a cluster of plants but in singletons. There is a very good reason for this preference, which I will come back to shortly. 

Narcissus Bulb fly (Merodon equestris)

Discover the Darker side of Hoverfly Ecology

Narcissus Bulb fly (Merodon equestris) 

Wing Length 8.5-10.25mm Body Length 10-14mm Flight late Apr-early Jul.

Species to spot in May

Have you ever planted bulbs that never quite made it to flowering, and you’re left wondering why? If you’re fairly sure they haven’t been dug up by a local grey squirrel, this hoverfly might be the hidden culprit.

It’s a remarkable species with around 34 different disguises, often easily mistaken for several types of bumblebee. The adults begin emerging from the soil from late April through to the end of June, so it’s well worth checking your bulb pots. You might spot one warming up in the sunshine or drying its wings on the leaves of your plants.

The Greatest Soundtrack in the World

International Dawn Chorus Day 3rd of May

It’s International Dawn Chorus Day on the 3rd of May. So, if you don’t know your blackbird from your robin song, or your blue tit from your great tit call this might just help.

May is a fantastic month for listening to birdsong, so you can always choose a morning that suits you better, if you can’t make the 3rd of May. If like me, early mornings really aren’t appealing, I’ve included a couple of alternative ideas later in the article that don’t require setting an alarm at all.

Anyone who loves birds will tell you that the dawn chorus is the greatest soundscape of all. Not the Top 40 blaring from a radio, but the voices of birds singing as the very first light appears. It’s a soundscape that has been playing since birds evolved — if not before. While the coffee brews, it’s one of those rare, glorious moments in the day when you can simply sit, listen, and let the birds do the talking.

Now people who know me well, know I am not a morning person. I have had several mugs designed that specifically state ‘don’t talk to me before my second cup of coffee.’ Early starts are very much not my thing. I am more of a night owl and would rather, as I am doing right now, stay up late and enjoy the silence, when everyone has gone to bed. It’s a time when the noise in my head finally quietens, and my creative thoughts can make their way through my fingertips. Whether I actually achieve that is for you to decide.

And yet, three times this spring I’ve dragged myself up at the crack of dawn to listen to that dawn-time symphony. And yes, I’ll have brain fog for the rest of the day — but every single time, it’s been worth it.

Hoverfly Spotter Apr 26 Sightings – part 3

Hoverflies, Silkstone Waggonway, & Local sightings.

I love it when I can find nature right on my doorstep, it’s even better when it’s in one's own garden. The Dandelions are in full bloom and the Garlic Mustard also known as Jack by the Hedge is just coming into flower ready for any passing Orange Tips.

But what other wonders and nature’s joy have I seen this week.

Hoverflies in Historical Books part 2.

Exploration of hoverflies within historical books & manuscripts, examining the scientific understanding each portrayed or intended. 

In my research for articles about individual hoverfly species, I always widen the search looking for any historical or cultural contexts. This broader approach often uncovers fascinating references to hoverflies in old historical manuscripts and early books, hidden gems that reveal stories and observations worthy of a deeper investigation. 

If you haven’t read Hoverflies in Historical Books part 1 – now is the perfect moment to do so and get up to speed with the journey so far.

For those who have read part 1, thank you – here is a brief recap.

The simple question was:  What is the oldest hoverfly ever recorded in print? 

Our search in the story so far paused in 1720 with Eleazar Albin’s 'A Natural History of English insects'  illustrating observed behaviour in the White-clubbed Glasswing (Scaeva pyrastri) 

But the question still to be answered is - are there any older references to hoverflies hidden within earlier texts?

Let’s find out….